


Favourable Circumstances

by cosmic_llin



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Casual Sex, F/F, Fade to Black, Flirting, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-12
Updated: 2016-08-12
Packaged: 2018-08-08 09:31:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,176
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7752328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cosmic_llin/pseuds/cosmic_llin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lwaxana and Ishka bump into each other on the way to Cardassia.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Favourable Circumstances

**Author's Note:**

> Made for gluecookie in Round 2 of the Trek Rarepair Swap.

In the wake of the end of the Dominion War, Lwaxana Troi was busier than she had ever been. She’d barely had the chance to return to her home – scarred in small ways by the occupation but still more or less intact – before she was asked to be part of a Federation diplomatic delegation to Cardassia Prime.

‘They have some nerve, asking me to help rebuild Cardassia when Betazed is in pieces around us,’ she told Deanna, during their regular call.

‘But…?’ Deanna asked, with half a smile.

‘But I’m going,’ said Lwaxana, throwing up her hands as if she couldn’t believe herself. ‘Deities help me, I’m going.’

She’d left Mr Homn with strict instructions on how to fix up the house while she was gone – it seemed to have been used as a Jem’Hadar barracks, but it didn’t look as though they’d deliberately treated it badly. Jem’Hadar were ruthless soldiers (that much she’d learned quickly in the resistance) but they weren’t wantonly destructive. It didn’t occur to them. The damage was more along the lines of snagged carpets from their boots, scuffed wallpaper, the odd broken window, than the ruin she had feared. Most of her belongings had gone – it wouldn’t occur to Jem’Hadar to keep her trinkets if they needed them out of the way – but anything truly precious had been safe in the underground vault on the grounds, or on her person. It could have been a lot worse. Mr Homn would have it back to normal by the time she returned.

She’d deliberated for a while before deciding to leave her son with Mr Homn and the nanny – Cardassia right now was no place for a child. And so she was alone when the courier vessel came for her, and alone when she was ferried to the rendezvous point, and after the weeks of being crammed in with the rest of the resistance, everyone’s fear and anger mixing together, it was actually nice to be quiet for a while.

She was received with the appropriate ceremony by the captain of the vessel that was taking them all to Cardassia, and shown to tolerably elegant quarters – when you had a ship full of diplomats, you ran out of the best spots quickly. Normally she might kick up a fuss in the hope of getting something better, but a matter of days ago she’d been sleeping underground and taking her turn to watch for intruders, so this was luxury in comparison, and she allowed herself to enjoy it as such. For a few hours she revelled in the space and silence, helping herself to a feast from the replicator and unpacking her things. And then she got bored.

On the assumption that the adjoining quarters would also contain a diplomat and a pre-mission gossip was rarely unwelcome, she rang the chime.

The door was opened by a Ferengi woman, shorter than her, older, and fully dressed in an elegant style of which Lwaxana grudgingly found herself approving. She looked up at Lwaxana and grinned.

‘I thought this was a Federation delegation,’ Lwaxana said, neglecting her manners in her surprise. She hadn’t always had the best experiences with Ferengi.

‘I pulled some strings and got myself invited along,’ said the woman. ‘My son’s the Grand Nagus of Ferenginar.’

Lwaxana smiled in spite of herself. ‘You must be Ishka, then? I admit, I’ve heard a little about your exploits. Lwaxana Troi – Daughter of the Fifth House, Holder of the Sacred Chalice of Rixx, Heir to the Holy Rings of Betazed.’

She held out a hand to shake, even as for a moment she was distracted by the thought that she hadn’t seen the chalice in a while. Surely she’d thought to put it in the vault before they’d fled? Surely?

‘Why don’t you come in?’ Ishka offered.

Lwaxana frowned suspiciously. ‘What’ll it cost me?’

Ishka grinned. ‘I know better than to try that on a Federation vessel. This one’s free.’

Lwaxana stepped over the threshold and followed Ishka to the seating area.

‘So, what’s a Ferengi doing on a mission like this?’ Lwaxana asked. ‘It’s not as though there are many business opportunities on Cardassia right now – they’re just barely managing to stay alive.’

‘Ah, that’s where you’re wrong,’ said Ishka. ‘Even with the state they’re in, Cardassia still want trade – they have their pride. They’ll resent the Federation’s charity and drag their feet about accepting aid, but trade will make them feel important again – even if I give them incredibly favourable terms.’

‘And why would you do that? Aren’t most Ferengi out for what profit they can get?’

‘I’m not most Ferengi,’ said Ishka, leaning in closer. She was wearing some sort of exquisite perfume, like a summer forest, Lwaxana thought.

‘That much is apparent…’ Lwaxana said, unable to stop a grin from escaping.

‘Most Ferengi businessmen,’ said Ishka, ‘don’t know how to defer gratification. They all want the biggest profit right now. They don’t understand that you can cultivate a business relationship that looks like it favours the other party for five, ten, twenty years, and in the end it’s you who’ll be raking in the profits. If I give the Cardassians a hand up now, when they need it, I’ll be helping their economy recover and I’ll be in the right place when it does.’

‘Ah,’ said Lwaxana. ‘So it’s an investment?’

‘Precisely!’ Ishka beamed. ‘Lwaxana – can I get you a drink?’

‘I’d love one,’ Lwaxana said. ‘It’s been a busy day, and I’m not as young as I was.’

‘Are any of us?’ Ishka said, getting up and going to the replicator. ‘War may be good for business, but it’s not good for much else. Try this, it’s a drink I invented.’

Ishka handed over the drink, and for a moment her fingers brushed Lwaxana's.

‘Peace is good for business too, though, isn’t it?’ Lwaxana asked.

‘A lot of people don’t understand why those two Rules of Acquisition are next to each other – or even how they can both exist. Such a narrow view. It’s obviously meant to mean that, wherever you are, whatever is happening, you have to keep your eyes open for any favourable circumstances that might come your way.’

Ishka gave Lwaxana a long, appraising look up and down, and raised her glass.

‘There’s certainly something to be said for… taking advantage of opportunities that arise,’ Lwaxana agreed.

‘There are no official activities scheduled tonight,’ said Ishka. ‘And you seem like you could use some relaxation. I don’t suppose you’d like to… see my collection of Ancient Ferengi sex toys? They’re almost priceless.’

‘You know, I think I’d like that,’ said Lwaxana. ‘But come here, sit by me, and let’s finish our drinks first.’

* * *

There was still a mission to Cardassia to get through. There was still a home to make feel like her own again. But when Lwaxana got back to her quarters in the early hours of the next morning, there was a spring in her step that she’d been missing, and she felt ready for anything.


End file.
